


running down the hills to be with you (i'd have told you i was lonely too)

by paintedstudy



Category: I Was Born for This - Alice Oseman
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, Gen, Jimmy POV, Kid Fic, gay/bi mlm solidarity, pre-iwbft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:06:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26380879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedstudy/pseuds/paintedstudy
Summary: Jimmy realises he never had the option to come out to Lister by choice, so Lister gives him the opportunity.
Relationships: Allister "Lister" Bird & Jimmy Kaga-Ricci
Comments: 12
Kudos: 49





	running down the hills to be with you (i'd have told you i was lonely too)

**Author's Note:**

> title is based on 'home with you' by fka twigs. i have not proofread this, i just got in my feelings about the boys’ lives pre-fame and started writing. hope u enjoy x

**Jimmy Kaga-Ricci**

A little while ago, Lister told me he wanted to learn guitar. I thought at first it was a throwaway comment - I mean, we _were_ listening to My Chemical Romance at the time. I’m pretty sure their music could convince anyone they want to learn guitar, at least in the moment. Lister was completely serious, and since then he’s been coming round to my house so I can teach him the basics.

It’s been surprisingly good. Lister gets frustrated when he doesn’t get things straight away, just like Rowan does, but he doesn’t ever get angry with me. I think he’s got the hang of it now, knows enough chords and sections of songs to be content practising on his own.

We’re hanging out in my bedroom. Lister is sitting cross-legged on the floor, strumming away on one of my guitars. It’s the acoustic one, just because it’d be a hassle to set up my electric guitar. I’m on my bed, scrolling through my phone.

This is all still new to me, hanging out with Lister. Sure, I hang out with him and Rowan at school all the time - we have a lot of classes together and we always sit next to one another at lunch - but I haven’t had much time alone with him. It’s nerve-wracking, hanging out with new people alone, but I’m long past the point of being worried he’s going to pick a fight with me.

I can’t believe I used to think that way about him. Lister does pick fights, but he only does it with teachers and the people who are dicks to him. I never thought that I had anything in common with him, let alone that we both get picked on. I always thought he was a bully. But he’s actually never been a dick to me or Rowan, besides the occasional taking the piss out of Rowan’s glasses. 

We’ve never even had a conversation about the fact that I’m trans. I know he knows - everyone who knows me does, not that I want it that way. I’ve mentioned things like binding around him and he barely bats an eye. It’s extremely jarring, this sort of unquestioned acceptance he has.

“You know what I just realised?” I say, breaking the comfortable silence.

Lister looks up at me and a smile forms on his lips. “What?”

I let out a laugh. “Literally the only reason you know I’m trans is ‘cause I get bullied for it.”

Lister snorts, and sets my guitar to one side. “Jesus, that’s depressing.”

“Yeah.” I sit up so I can see him better. “I literally never even had the option to come out to you.”

Something in Lister’s expression changes. His face gets more serious, but not in a bad way - it’s almost soft, the look on his face. He gives me a grin. “Would you like to?”

I raise an eyebrow. “How d’ya mean?”

“Like- “ 

He seems to search for the right words, only to give up and get to his feet. He takes a step towards me and holds out his hand. “Hi, my name’s Lister. I don’t think I’ve seen you before. What’s your name?”

I stare at him, looking between his outstretched hand and grinning face. “Uh,” I say, confused but still willing to play along. “Jimmy.”

I shake Lister’s hand, then he withdraws it and sits down beside me. “Okay, we’re friends now.”

He looks at me expectantly, and my brain finally catches up to what’s going on. “Oh! Right- okay. Okay.”

I feel my heart start beating fast and my face flush with embarrassment, but I push myself through it. I turn to him. “Lister.”

“Mm-hmm?”

He’s beaming at me. I can’t look at him. I stare at my knuckles and put on a serious voice as I say, “I have something to tell you.”

Lister pretends to gasp.

I force myself to meet his eyes. “I’m transgender. I’m a trans boy.”

Lister gapes at me and holds his hands to his face as if in shock. He holds the expression for a full second before he breaks and lets out a laugh. “Uh, cool. Nothing changes between us- “

“Literally, because you already knew,” I say, laughing.

“I- Yeah,” Lister has to pause as he laughs some more. When he regains his composure enough to talk, he gives me this affectionate look and says, “I still think you’re cool, want to be your friend, etcetera etcetera.”

He thinks I’m cool? That’s a first. “Brilliant.”

“How was that?” he asks, nudging me. “Was it everything you dreamed?”

I nod, feeling very overwhelmed. “Yes. Actually. Thank you.”

“Good. Because I have something to tell you.”

“Oh?” I grin, anticipating the next joke.

“I’m bisexual.”

The words rush out of him so fast that I don’t process them properly at first. It’s a complete curveball, but I’m not going to laugh. Fuck, I’d hate if this was his idea of a joke.

I turn to look at him. “Wait, really?”

The moment I say it, the question feels pointless. Looking at him, even with the hints of a smile on Lister’s face, I can tell he’s being completely serious. He nods.

I consider that new information. Wow. I mean, I know a handful of other kids in our year who aren’t cis or straight, but I’m not really friends with any of them.

Lister is completely still next to me. “Fuck, wait- “ I begin, realising that I completely forgot to say anything. I clear my throat and say, sincerely as I can while mirroring Lister’s words, “Nothing changes between us.”

He glances up at me.

“I still think you’re cool,” I continue, blushing at the truth of the words. “I still want to be your friend.”

I reach out and rub his arm in a way that I hope is comforting. Lister leans into my side and wraps his arms around me. I tense up when I feel pressure on my waist, but Lister loosens his grip without me needing to say anything. I place my hand on his shoulder and we just sit there for a bit.

“Can I tell you something?” I say quietly.

Lister laughs softly. “Not another one.”

“I’m serious. I’m gay.”

Lister sits up. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh my god, yes!” Lister throws his arms in the air. “Fuck, I need to tell you about the guy I sit next to in Maths.”

He starts talking a mile a minute about said guy, how he thinks there might be something between the two of them but he isn’t sure because he’s still so _new_ to all this stuff.

I grin all the way through it. I can’t help it.


End file.
